Our History

King David I of Scotland establishes the Port of Aberdeen

A blockhouse, or fort, built on the north side of the Port of Aberdeen entrance -  possibly deterring the Spanish Armada from landing in the North East in 1588.

First cargo-handling crane installed

King James VI issues a charter to raise funds for a bulwark at Torry to help deepen the harbour entrance. William becomes the first Scottish ship to sail to North America. 

Shipbuilding commences. Over 3,000 ships would be built until the last shipyard closed in 1992. 

Loss of the Whaling Ship Oscar, grounded on rocks at Greyhope Bay, devastating the local community.

Girdleness Lighthouse established - a state of the art, ground-breaking design by Robert Stevenson and constructed by James Gibbs

Fortification at Torry Battery, overlooking the Southern approaches

Tea clipper ship Thermopylae built for the Aberdeen White Star Line. The ship still holds the record for the fastest trip made under sail

Jho Sho Maru, the second warship built for Japan, destroyed by fire

Thermopylae beats the Cutty Sark in the Great Clipper Race

The arrival of the Steam Trawler boosts the already well-established fishing industry

First covered market built to service the fishing industry

Enemy aircraft extensively bomb the harbour as a strategic target

Oil discovered in the North Sea against a backdrop of economic crisis

£36m project to infill the River Dee Dock and create four new berths

Construction of £420 million Aberdeen South Harbour expansion project commences.

Port of Aberdeen takes over as principal contractor for the construction of the expansion project.

Aberdeen Harbour rebrands to Port of Aberdeen and phased opening of Aberdeen South Harbour commences.

Aberdeen South Harbour expansion is complete and fully operational.